Description
In the Light: The very best of Charlie Peacock is a compilation album by the American singer, songwriter, keyboardist, and producer Charlie Peacock, independently released on his own label re:think in 1996, distributed by EMD and Chordant Distribution Group. Compiled by Charlie Peacock. Mastered by Ken Love at MasterMix.
While he’s most likely loathe to acknowledge it, more than any other Christian songwriter residing within Nashville’s unfettered environs, Charlie Peacock is probably the one most deserving to don the big man’s hat.
For over a decade, the artist formerly known as Charles William Ashworth has set award-winning standards as both producer and songwriter extraordinaire – unafraid of creating unique music in a scene that’s only beginning to welcome uniqueness and creativity.
Peacock’s provided studio guidance for divergent acts such as Out of the Grey, The Choir, and Margaret Becker, and he’s penned hits for Russ Taff and Amy Grant – including one of her chart-topping mainstream smashes, «Every Heartbeat». And the kudos keep on coming: Peacock’s recent release – ‘strangelanguage‘ – oozes with the same originality it took to launch and develop re:think, perhaps the best new label in an orbit of several blue moons.
That’s why it’s quite appropriate to release his first of what could be several best-of collections, ‘In the Light’. This dic contains 17 of Peacock’s most memorable and inspiring songs from his Sparrow solo projects – as well as a few surprises along the way.
After the first seconds of the opening track, the widespread influence Peacock has wielded during the last decade is obvious. For instance, DC Talk fans who aren’t familiar with Peacock’s stuff would do well to give the compilation’s title track a listen. After getting somewhat used to DCT’s cover of «In the Light», it’s at once unsettling end edifying to hear the author’s original, sparser treatment from 1991’s ‘Love Life‘.
The album, however, providing the most ammunition (six songs) is 1990’s ‘Secret of Time‘, donating the obvious keeper «Big Man’s Hat», as well as «One Thing», «Experience», «Dear Friend», «The Way of Love», and «Almost Threw It All Away».
Also included is «Personal Revolution» (‘Love Life‘); «Monkeys at the Zoo» and «One Man Gets Around» (‘Everything That’s on My Mind‘); «No Place Closer to Heaven» and «Down in the Lowlands» (‘West Coast Diaries Volume Two‘), and the title track to ‘Lie Down in the Grass‘. With this veritable treasure chest of tuneage, Charlie’s no doubt proud as a… oh, forget it. [Dave Urbanski, CCM, November 1996]
If you’re new to CCM or the Peacock discography, ‘In The Light’ offers a neat retrospective. The title track has of course been memorably covered by dc Talk but the 1991 original, lighter and without the grunge factor, shows the sheer quality of the song. The album most heavily re-visited on this compilation is his Brown Bannister produced debut ‘Secret Of Time‘ (six songs – including the infectious «Big Man’s Hat») while there are also cuts from ‘Everything That’s On My Mind‘, ‘Lie Down In The Grass‘ and ‘West Coast Diaries Vol 2‘. Peacock completists will want this if only for the fascinating remix of «Message Boy». Great CCM from one of Christendom’s most articulate songwriters. [Tony Cummings, Cross Rhythms, June 1997]
> Apple Music (https://music.apple.com/us/album/in-the-light-the-very-best-of-charlie-peacock/716263322)
CD tracklist:
01. In The Light – 3:42 (from the album Love Life, Sparrow Records 1991)
02. One Man Gets Around – 4:15 (from the album Everything That’s On My Mind, Sparrow Records 1995)
03. Almost Threw It All Away – 6:11 (from the album The Secret of Time, Sparrow Records 1990)
04. Counting the Cost – 4:15 (from the album Charlie Peacock, Island Records 1986)
05. The Way of Love – 4:07 (from the album West Coast Diaries Volume Two, self-released in 1988)
06. Monkeys at the Zoo – 4:33 (from the album Everything That’s On My Mind, Sparrow Records 1995)
07. Dear Friend – 4:33 (from the album The Secret of Time, Sparrow Records 1990)
08. Down in the Lowlands – 5:02 (from the album Charlie Peacock, Island Records 1986)
09. Big Man’s Hat – 5:15 (from the album The Secret of Time, Sparrow Records 1990)
10. Lie Down in the Grass – 3:31 (from the album Lie Down in the Grass, Exit Records 1984)
11. Experience – 5:27 (from the album The Secret of Time, Sparrow Records 1990)
12. Personal Revolution – 5:12 (from the album Love Life, Sparrow Records 1991)
13. My Mind Played a Trick on Me – 4:41 (from the album West Coast Diaries Volume One, self-released in 1988)
14. I Can’t Believe It – 3:57 (from the multi-artist tribute album No Compromise: Remembering the music of Keith Green, Sparrow Records 1992)
15. Message Boy (Re:Mix) – 3:40 (previously unreleased)
16. One Thing – 4:22 (from the album The Secret of Time, Sparrow Records 1990)
17. No Place Closer to Heaven – 2:58 (from the album West Coast Diaries Volume Two, self-released in 1988)
Note: Simultaneously released on cassette and CD by Re:think Records.
CD track by track – Liner notes by Charlie Peacock.:
01. In The Light. The music of Johnny Clegg and his two bands Juluka and Savuka inspired me to write this song. I improvised the “Is there such a thing…” section in the studio, and Vinnie did the cool harmonization. This is one of my all time favorite songs to sing. It’s been a # 1 song twice. First for me in 1992 and again for the group DC Talk in August of ’96. [ From the album Love Life, released on Sparrow Records in 1991. Written by Charlie Peacock. ]
02. One Man Gets Around. This was the first song that I wrote for my Everything That’s On My Mind recording. The bridge is my favorite part of the song both musically and lyrically. There’s something extremely satisfying about singing the lyric: “The multitudes are waiting, waiting on pins and needles, for the one more famous than the Beatles.” (# 1 CHR in ’94) [ From the album Everything That’s On My Mind, released on Sparrow Records in 1995. Written by Charlie Peacock. ]
03. Almost Threw It All Away. This is an honest but painfully autobiographical song that many people seemed to relate to. I remember rehearsing it with Brown Bannister and the band at NCS Rehearsal Studios in Nashville in late ’89. Brown introduced me to some great musicians that day: Chris McHugh, Tommy Sims and Jerry McPherson. People sometimes say I sound like Smokey Robinson on songs like this, but I think the influence is more Gladys Knight. (# 1 CHR in ’90) [ From the album The Secret of Time, released on Sparrow Records in 1990. Written by Charlie Peacock. ]
04. Counting the Cost. I was living in Sacramento across the street from a young boxer at the time this song was written. I was experimenting with verse form and writing everything down on manuscript paper. This song was one among several from that time (1985) that made it on to the self-titled record on Island. Lyle Workman, then on Bourgeois Tagg, provided the big guitar sound. Though never released as a single to the Christian community, it was a favorite in concert. [ From the album Charlie Peacock, released on Island Records in 1986. Written by Charlie Peacock. ]
05. The Way of Love. This version was recorded live at the Exit Studio in Sacramento, featuring Jimmy A on guitar and Vince Ebo on vocals. This is really a snapshot of the very beginnings of that wonderful trio. Jimmy, Vince and I traveled all over the US and Europe together, making what I remember to be some of the most rewarding music I’ve ever been privileged to be a part of. This song was always an audience favorite whether in Amsterdam or Anaheim. [ From the album West Coast Diaries Volume Two, self-released on JAMZ in 1988. Later rerecorded on the album The Secret of Time, released on Sparrow Records 1990. Written by Charlie Peacock and Bongo Bob Smith. ]
06. Monkeys at the Zoo. This arrangement was rehearsed with a band before it was recorded and I think this gives it a unique vibe. My wife and daughter never really liked the image of monkeys at the zoo. It repulsed them. I kept trying to tell them that repulsion was exactly the feeling I wanted them to get. Oh well. This was the Alternative/Modern Rock Song of the Year for the 1996 GMA Dove Awards. [ From the album Everything That’s On My Mind, released on Sparrow Records in 1995. Written by Charlie Peacock. ]
07. Dear Friend. I wrote this song when I first moved to Nashville. It was in the Shadowood Apartments to be exact. Brown and I asked a bunch of kids to come sing on it, including our own. We were supposed to buy them lunch but we never did. This is one of the simplest songs I’ve written though the arrangement is complex. [ From the album The Secret of Time, released on Sparrow Records in 1990. Written by Charlie Peacock. ]
08. Down in the Lowlands. This version is taken from the recording that I did for Island. It was originally supposed to come out on A&M but A&M didn’t really get it. I remember flying to France with my producer Nigel Gray to present the record to the A&M office in Paris. The fellow listened to a few songs then took it off and asked me if I had any songs that used nonsense syllables. He said they really go for that kind of stuff in France. [ From the album Charlie Peacock, released on Island Records in 1986. Written by Charlie Peacock. ]
09. Big Man’s Hat. By the time this particular recording was made, I had already recorded and performed this song several different ways. Personally, I love the energy of this track. I think the trumpet solo was one of the last overdubs we did and it really put it over the edge energy-wise. This is, I suppose, a CP standard, for better or for worse. [ From the album The Secret of Time, released on Sparrow Records in 1990. Written by Charlie Peacock. ]
10. Lie Down in the Grass. I wrote this song in the Summer of 1983. It was the first song written for the album of the same name that came out in 1984. I recall being on a video show in LA back in the early eighties. I was on with the punk group “X” and the VJ asked me what the song was about. He was surprised to find out that it had nothing to do with an amorous encounter out in a field. [ From the album Lie Down in the Grass, released on Exit Records in 1984 / re-released by A&M. Written by Charlie Peacock. ]
11. Experience. Theology set to a groove. Now it seems a bit stiff to me, but at the time it seemed appropriate. This is the kind of song where I can get lost in the detail of creating lots of special one-off events to spark the listener. Do people hear them? I hope so. They’re entertaining to me. Great keyboard solo Roger! [ From the album The Secret of Time, released on Sparrow Records in 1990. Written by Charlie Peacock. ]
12. Personal Revolution. One of my favorite lyrics. This song was inspired by the writing of Dan Allender and his book The Wounded Heart. The piano sound at front is achieved by running a Wurlitzer electric piano through an electric guitar amp using a Cry-Baby wah wah pedal. [ From the album Love Life, released on Sparrow Records in 1991. Written by Charlie Peacock. ]
13. My Mind Played a Trick on Me. This was a song that I wrote in the morning and recorded in the afternoon. Jimmy A and I set up in the control room at the Exit Studio and recorded it live. Once at Cornerstone Fest I sang this song and a man gave me a book afterwards. Inside the book he wrote that he’d been ready to have an affair with a woman friend, but that my song had changed his mind. God will use a fool to keep another from becoming one. [ From the album West Coast Diaries Volume One, self-released on JAMZ in 1988. Re-released on Sparrow Records in 1990. Written by Charlie Peacock. ]
14. I Can’t Believe It. What I can’t believe is that I recorded a Keith Green song. This was a part of a tribute to Keith a few years back. One day I was at the studio and somebody called to congratulate me on my number one song. I was confused. Apparently the record company had released it as a single and it went to number one. I really need to get out more. [ From the multi-artist tribute album No Compromise: Remembering the music of Keith Green, released on Sparrow Records in 1992. Written by Keith and Melody Green, 1977. ]
15. Message Boy (Re:Mix). I started on this song over in England when I was recording at Surrey Sound where the first couple of Police records were done. This version was re-recorded and remixed in New York by Robert Musso for a video that we did. (The original was on my self-titled record on Island.) Unfortunately, the video wasn’t very good and thus was not released for mass consumption. Besides that, this recording is too darn big. But that was the Eighties. Big hair begot big snares. [ Previously unreleased recording, with original version featured on the album Charlie Peacock, released on Island Records in 1986. The remix version was included on the 1999 CD re-issue. Written by Charlie Peacock. ]
16. One Thing. I think this is perhaps the best love song I’ve written. I like the chord changes in the verse and I think the music matches the sentiment. This version was actually adapted from a demo that I did in California in 1988 or so. This and the next song coming up are my big “wedding” songs. People call and write all the time looking for the music to use in their wedding. Thanks. [ From the album The Secret of Time, released on Sparrow Records in 1990. Written by Charlie Peacock. ]
17. No Place Closer to Heaven. This song was written for my Church family out in California. I wrote it to perform at a dedication ceremony for a new building we’d just moved into. Even though this song only appeared on West Coast Diaries Volume Two, I get more requests for sheet music on this song than any other. [ From the album West Coast Diaries Volume Two, self-released on JAMZ in 1988. Re-released on Sparrow Records in 1990. Written by Charlie Peacock. ]
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